Valley Dogs (they're A Special Breed)

The Best Dog Is Usually The One That Belongs To You

Pet owners can name the best breed in the twitch of a tail: It's their dog.

``Everyone has a picture in their mind when they think `dog,' '' said Linda Lane- Reticker, owner of Pet Central, a 1,200-client pet- matching service in Avon.

FOR THE RECORD - On Page H1 in the Farmington Valley edition of today's Town News Extra, a chart listing dog breeds incorrectly reports several numbers. In Avon, there are 240 retrievers (137 Labrador and 103 golden), 90 spaniels, 82 terriers, 67 German shepherds and 25 poodles. In Simsbury, there are 49 poodles. The section is printed in advance.

Lane-Reticker, who acts as a broker between pet sellers and buyers, keeps a computer database of people and the breeds they seek. For a fee of $10 to $15, she mails a list from the computer search with the telephone number of breeders who want to sell dogs.

She also keeps a mental file of observations on why people prefer one breed over another. Among the things that influence the way people think about their dogs are movies, books and television.

Lane-Reticker cited several canine film stars.

The companion of the Little Rascals, those popular child stars of 1930s movie shorts, was a pit bull, causing that breed's star to rise in the early 1930s, she said.

Toto, Dorothy's dog in the movie version of ``The Wizard of Oz,'' brought terriers into fashion in 1939, she said.

``Lassie Come Home'' set a new standard of canine beauty -- the collie -- in 1943. The breed faded from popularity, then revived with the Lassie television series, she said.

People are also influenced by breeds they grew up with and by dogs belonging to friends and relatives.

Familiarity plays a big part in the choice of a dog, said Jeffrey Dimock, who runs a service similar to Lane-Reticker's called Miss/Match in Canton. One of his clients, whose father had Rottweilers, sought the same breed because he was raised with them.

Gentleness with children is also a sought- after trait, and that's one reason why retrievers are among the most popular dogs.

``Labradors and goldens are easygoing family pets,'' Lane-Reticker said. ``They are active, but fit in with children and roll along with whatever life dishes up. They also are tractable and don't put up a big stink about training.''

But retrievers need some space to exercise. For smaller spaces and city life, Dimock recommended breeds such as the bichon frise, Lhasa apso, shih tzu, poodle and small terriers such as Cairns, West Highlands and Yorkshires.

Smaller dogs are more suited to walking on pavement or running in a small yard, and fit well in condominiums, where some managers place height and weight restrictions on pets.

The popularity of various breeds rises and falls with the times, sometimes resulting in poor breeding practices among the popular types, Dimock said.

``Everyone goes to buy the popular breed, and when that happens, there is a shortage of dogs,'' Dimock said. ``They are closely bred and it messes up the bloodlines.''

That results in physical or temperamental faults that can send a breed to the doghouse.

``People pay more attention to cranking out puppies than the quality of the puppies,'' Lane- Reticker said. ``And the breed suffers.''

When dog owners are unhappy with their pet, it's often because in their quest for the paragon pup, they choose the wrong breed. Looking for a companion for their toddler, they may think of how cute the Christmas photograph will look with baby and the cocker spaniel.

``That is trouble in the asking,'' Lane- Reticker said. ``If expectations are that a cocker is like a living stuffed animal, you're asking for it. Children hurt dogs and you are setting the dogs in a situation where they are vulnerable.''

Cocker spaniels, like some small dogs, can sometimes be quick to bite when disturbed, Dimock said.

``Little dogs tend to be snappy,'' he said. ``I have never been bitten by a big dog, but by a terrier, a shih tzu, a poodle and two dachshunds.''

But for the most part, dog owners fawn over their pets.

``The female lab has the best disposition of any dog I know of,'' said Ron Grenier of Canton.

Speaking about his dog, 6-year-old Roxie, he said: ``Kids have pulled her tail. Some might growl at the most, but mine doesn't even do that.''

In fact, said Grenier, Labrador retrievers are so loving they tend to take off with people who befriend them.

Bernice Abrahamson of West Hartford calls her 5-year-old golden retriever Molly ``the best'' and says she is ``the nuttiest dog owner you will find.''

``I'm crazy about my dog,'' Abrahamson said. ``We picked her because of her good nature. They give you love. They want to be with you and they are there for you. They are there to make you happy.''

But what about those beautiful golden hairs on the sofa, the rugs and under the bed?

``Yes, she sheds to get the heavy coat off,'' she said. ``If you love the dog, you vacuum the hairs.''

Sam, a 4-year-old West Highland terrier, has become a member of the Brown family of West Hartford.

``He has the sweetest disposition, bar none,'' said Marlene Brown.

After her Lhasa apso, ``a mean little dog,'' died, she said she sought counsel from a breeder who suggested West Highland terriers.

Sam, often called Sweet Sam, is expressive and affectionate.

``We were comfortable with the size. We did not want a puny dog, but one that was big enough to cuddle. My husband and I are equally codependent on this dog.''